PH sensing biofilm

ABSTRACT

The pH sensing biofilms include anthocyanin and a cellulose nanostructure or a cellulose nanocomposite. The cellulose nanostructure can include cellulose nanofibrils. The cellulose nanocomposite can include a composite of cellulose nanofibrils and pectin or a composite of cellulose nanofibrils and alginate. The presence of the anthocyanin in the biofilm allows the biofilm to change color in response to pH changes, thereby allowing the biofilm to be used as an active visual indicator of decay.

BACKGROUND 1. Field

The disclosure of the present patent application relates to material science, and particularly to pH sensing biofilms and to methods of making and using pH sensing biofilms.

2. Description of the Related Art

Conventional food packaging materials provide four key functions: communication, protection, convenience, and containment. These packaging materials are designed to reduce food loss by extending shelf life. However, conventional food packaging materials cannot monitor the quality or safety of food products in real time. Conventional food packaging materials are also often manufactured from plastics which are not environmentally friendly either in production or disposal.

Recent developments in food packaging have included the application of nanostructured materials to improve mechanical strength and provide functional properties, such as antioxidant, antimicrobial, and food deterioration monitoring activities. Food deterioration monitoring has been proposed by numerous active means, such as, measuring volatile organic gases, use of pH indicators, use of nucleophilic sensing dyes, and detection of lactic acid levels. However, the field is still searching for a low cost, biodegradable, effective intelligent food packaging material.

Thus, pH sensing biofilms solving the aforementioned problems are desired.

SUMMARY

The pH sensing biofilms include anthocyanin and a cellulose nanostructure or anthocyanin and a cellulose nanocomposite. The cellulose nanostructure can include cellulose nanofibrils. The cellulose nanocomposite can include a composite of cellulose nanofibrils and pectin or a composite of cellulose nanofibrils and alginate. The presence of the anthocyanin in the biofilm allows the biofilm to change color in response to pH changes, thereby allowing the biofilm to be used as an active visual indicator of decay. The pH sensing biofilm is environmentally friendly and biodegradable. The pH sensing biofilm can be used in food packaging systems for detecting food decay.

These and other features of the present disclosure will become readily apparent upon further review of the following specification and drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a picture of the color response of anthocyanin extracted from Petunia hybrida to a wide range of pH values.

FIG. 2 is a graph of the UV-spectra of the anthocyanin extracted from Petunia hybrida exposed to a range of pH values.

FIG. 3 is the Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy spectra of (a) cellulose nanofibrils labelled with anthocyanin, (b) CNF-alginate nanocomposite labelled with anthocyanin, and (c) CNF-pectin nanocomposite labelled with anthocyanin.

Similar reference characters denote corresponding features consistently throughout the attached drawings.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

A pH sensing biofilm includes anthocyanin and a cellulose nanostructure or anthocyanin and a cellulose nanocomposite. The anthocyanin can be impregnated within the cellulose nanostructure or cellulose nanocomposite. The cellulose nanostructure can include cellulose nanofibrils (CNF). The cellulose nanocomposite can include a composite of cellulose nanofibrils and pectin (CNF-Pectin) or a composite of cellulose nanofibrils and alginate (CNF-alginate). When the biofilm is contacted with a surface, the biofilm can change color to indicate a pH change of the surface. For example, the biofilm can be affixed to meat or other food products to serve as an active visual indicator of decay. Accordingly, the pH sensing biofilm can be part of an environmentally friendly, biodegradable food packaging system.

The anthocyanin may be extracted from Petunia hybrida. The Petunia hybrida may be collected from Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The CNF may be extracted from Phoenix dactylifera. The Phoenix dactylifera may be collected from Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

The present inventors have found that the extracted Petunia hybrida anthocyanin may change color based upon pH and that the color change is visible to the naked eye. Further, when the anthocyanin was tested with different solutions having varying pH, it was found that a specific anthocyanin color can be associated with a specific pH. The various anthocyanin colors observed and the respective associated pH are provided in FIG. 1 and include: pH 1=rose, pH 2=Pink, pH 3=pale pink, pH 4=Silver, pH 5=Lavender, pH 6=Dark Lavender, pH 7=Lilac, pH 8=violet, pH 9=Indigo, pH 10=Green, pH 11=Yellow, and pH 12=Dark Yellow. These pH dependent color changes are further characterized by the ultra-violet visible spectra of FIG. 2. FIG. 2 depicts the UV-Vis spectra of the Petunia hybrida anthocyanin at different pH levels (ranging from pH 1.0 to pH 12.). FIG. 2 shows that the absorbance of Petunia hybrida extracted anthocyanin differs based upon pH.

FIG. 3 illustrates the FT-IR spectra of the biofilm including anthocyanin and a cellulose nanostructure, e.g., CNF, or cellulose nanocomposite, CNF-alginate, or CNF-pectin. The FT-IR spectrum of the CNF-anthocyanin shows peaks at 671, 717, 852, 938, 997, 1162, 1360, 1380, 1478, 1662, and 2918 cm⁻¹. The spectra of CNF-alginate-anthocyanin and CNF-pectin-anthocyanin contained peaks corresponding to the CNF-anthocyanin spectra, confirming polymer nanocomposite formation.

The following examples illustrate the present teachings.

Example 1 Extraction of Anthocyanin from Petunia Hybrid

Petunia hybrida flowers were collected from the campus of King Saud University, in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Ten grams of fresh purple Petunia hybrida flowers were immersed in a mixture of methanol and water at a ratio of about 70:30. The resulting mixture was blended and then sonicated at 750 W for about 15 minutes using a 20 kHz sonicator and a 13 mm diameter ultrasound probe tip. The resulting product was filtered using any conventional filter paper and stored in a dark location at about 4° C. The resulting anthocyanin solution was observed to be dark purple in color.

Example 2 Extraction of CNF from Phoenix dactylifera

Phoenix dactylifera biomass was collected from the campus of King Saud University in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The biomass was dried and pulverized. Twenty five grams of biomass was mixed with about 6% sodium hydroxide in a hydrothermal reactor kept at about 140° C. for about 2 hours. The alkali-exposed biomass was then washed with tap water until the pH was neutralized. The residue was then bleached with about 1.5% sodium hypochlorite solution. A resulting white material was mixed with about 40% sulfuric acid and kept at about 40° C. for about 35 minutes. Subsequently, the solution was transferred to a deep freezer at about −86° C. for an hour. The acid residues were washed from the material using centrifugation and the resulting pellet was sonicated at about 750 W for about 10 minutes using a 20 kHz sonicator. The resulting prepared CNF was characterized using X-ray diffraction (XRD) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The CNF XRD pattern exhibited cellulose I structure associated with (101), (021), (002), and (004) planes. TEM images confirmed that the CNF had a diameter between about 20-45 nanometers and were about 2-3 micrometers long. The CNF were observed to be organized in a netting arrangement with a fibrillated structure.

Example 3 Preparation of pH Sensing Biofilms

CNF nanocomposites were prepared by adding CNF prepared according to Example 2 to pectin or alginate at ratios of about 1:1, 1:2, and 1:3. Prepared CNF, CNF-Pectin, and CNF-Alginate were mixed with anthocyanin extracted from Petunia hybrida according to Example 1. About 1 g CNF or CNF-Pectin or CNF-Alginate was mixed with about 10 ml anthocyanin extract and about 100 ml of distilled water. These mixtures were sonicated for 20 minutes, poured into petri dishes, and kept in an oven at about 75° C. for about 24 hours.

The surface morphology of the pH sensing biofilms was observed at different magnifications and exhibited an organized structure. The pH sensing biofilms were immersed in pH solutions ranging from pH 1.0 to pH 12.0 for about 10 minutes. The films exhibited color change based upon the pH of the solution as follows: pH1=Rose, pH 2=Pink, pH 3=Pale Pink, pH 4=Silver, pH 5=Lavender, pH 6=Dark Lavender, pH 7=Lilac, pH 8=Violet, pH 9=Indigo, pH 10=Green, pH 11=Yellow, pH 12=Dark Yellow.

Example 4 Meat Deterioration Sensing by pH Sensing BioFilms

Biofilms prepared according to Example 3 were fixed on about 50 grams of fresh chicken breast and these samples were stored at room temperature. Over time, the color of the film changed from Lavender to Violet, indicating an increased pH resulting from the deterioration of the chicken meat.

It is to be understood that the pH sensing biofilms are not limited to the specific embodiments described above, but encompasses any and all embodiments within the scope of the generic language of the following claims enabled by the embodiments described herein, or otherwise shown in the drawings or described above in terms sufficient to enable one of ordinary skill in the art to make and use the claimed subject matter. 

We claim:
 1. A pH sensing biofilm comprising: anthocyanin; and at least one of a cellulose nanocomposite and a cellulose nanostructure, the cellulose nanocomposite and the cellulose nanostructure including cellulose nanofribrils extracted from Phoenix dactylifera.
 2. The pH sensing biofilm of claim 1, wherein the anthocyanin is extracted from Petunia hybrida.
 3. The pH sensing biofilm of claim 2, wherein the Petunia hybrida is harvested in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
 4. The pH sensing biofilm of claim 1, wherein the cellulose nanofribrils are extracted from Phoenix dactylifera harvested in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
 5. The pH sensing biofilm of claim 1, wherein the cellulose nanocomposite further comprises alginate.
 6. The pH sensing biofilm of claim 1, wherein the cellulose nanocomposite further comprises pectin. 